My Review of Disney's The Little Mermaid (Live Action Remake 2023)

 

Ever since Mulan, I've been skeptical of Disney's live action remakes. But once I saw the trailer, I knew I had to go see The Little Mermaid.  

Disney remakes tend to go in one of two directions. Some of them take The Jungle Book route and are drastically different from the original Disney movie. Some of them take the Beauty and the Beast route and are very similar to the original, but with a few added details. The Little Mermaid goes the Beauty and the Beast route. 

Basically, it's very similar to the original, but it is 10x more intense. The action scenes had me clenching and the emotional scenes had me crying. 

First, the cast. Halle Bailey was phenomenal. Her voice is stunning. Her acting is great, too. She definitely pulled off Ariel's curious nature. 

Jonah Hauer-King nailed Prince Eric. He is dreamy, brave, and romantic. I especially enjoyed Wild Uncharted Waters, Eric's new song. With Eric jumping off hills and running through sand, the performance reminded me of Bet On It from High School Musical 2, but not in a bad way. 

I was worried about Melissa McCarthy's performance as Ursula. She is known for being the funny one, I didn't think she could pull off scary. But she did. I remember feeling scared of Ursula as a child watching the 1989 movie. The 2023 Ursula terrified me as an adult. 

I was also skeptical about Awkwafina. Her sense of humor isn't always compatible with mine, but I actually found myself entertained by her performance. Maybe I just think she's funnier when she's performing someone else's material. 

I was not bothered by the CGI character designs. Flounder is a little off-putting at first, but Jacob Tremblay's voice acting made him cute again. This version went for a more realistic design in the sea creatures. This meant that Under The Sea did not portray any of the sea creatures playing human instruments. Yet, the number was still visually stunning. 

I love Ariel's tail design in this version. It feels more realistic, yet more magical at the same time.

The connection between Ariel and Max the dog is strengthened in this version. As I wrote before, the moment audiences first fell in love with Prince Eric in the 1989 movie was when he went back to save his dog.  So when Ariel also had a hand in saving Max...I cried.

 

In the 1989 movie, it is obvious that Ariel and Prince Eric connect over their love of adventure. But this connection is deepened in the 2023 film. I loved the detail that Eric's office looks exactly like Ariel's grotto. 

Part of Your World is the outstanding performance in a movie full of top-notch numbers. I cried. Sitting there in the theater, I felt like my four-year-old self who was obsessed with this song. The curiosity, the longing, the emotion...it's all there. 

I'm so glad they kept the iconic hair flip in. 

I am also glad they kept in the magical hands reaching in to grab Ariel's voice. This little bit was actually Walt's idea! Walt had wanted to make a Little Mermaid movie back in the '40s. He had concept art and scripts made up for the movie. During a meeting, the team was stumped about the scene where the sea witch takes the mermaid's voice. Walt had the idea of these ghostly hands reaching out and taking a glowing ball of light. This idea was used for the 1989 version, and I'm so glad it was kept in the 2023 version, as well. Walt's spirit is still present. 

I do have a couple of criticisms. First, I agree with many that Ariel's hair should have been a more vibrant red. 

The Scuttlebutt song was amusing, but it doesn't fit in with the rest of the soundtrack. It doesn't sound like a Little Mermaid song. It sounds like a Hamilton song. Lin Manuel Miranda also worked on For The First Time, but that number fit right in with the others. Scuttlebutt sticks out in a weird way.

There were moments I felt the CGI was too heavy and not well done, especially when Eric is floating in the water. 

The ending reveal with Max was adorable - but it felt like a let down. In the 1989 film, this scene is a big magical moment. The water turns golden and Ariel walks out of the water in a sparkly dress at sunset and Prince Eric runs to her. It's so romantic and lets the movie end on a high note. The previous transformations of Ariel into a human or back into a mermaid were done so well, I was excited to see how cool they would make this transformation. And it happened off screen! Again, the Max reveal is heart-warming, but it is definitely the Walmart version in comparison. 

I can't yet say if I prefer the 1989 or the 2023 version. I might have to watch the 2023 version a few more times to make an accurate analysis. I do love the live action remakes of Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and The Jungle Book, but I think the animated versions are slightly better.  I don't like the live action versions of Cinderella or Dumbo at all. And I can't even bare to lay my eyes on the tragedy that is the Mulan remake. But honestly? The animated version and live action version of The Little Mermaid might be tied. It's just that good. 

Overall, I was blown away by the live action remake of The Little Mermaid. Halle Bailey is extraordinary and I'm rooting for her and the rest of the cast to have continued success. I'd recommend this movie to anyone. If you like Disney movies, romcoms, fantasy films, action movies, or musicals, there's something for you in The Little Mermaid.